GAPA appeals for gov’t support as the world celebrates awareness

The Ghana Association of Persons with Albinism (GAPA) has called on government and other stakeholders to take measures to help ensure the fair treatment of albinos, who often find themselves victims of social discrimination.

According to them, it is well-known that albinos constitute a minority and should, therefore, be considered as vulnerable persons in the society.

They said, “our right to education as persons with albinism, is affected by our low vision that in most cases force some of us to drop out of school which eventually lead us to unemployment and affect our right to an adequate standard of living, consigning many of us to abject poverty”.

Speaking to the Bono Regional organizer of Ghana Association of Persons with Albinism (GAPA), Ernest Pascal on behalf of the association appealed to government to include sun care products, dermatological and optical services on the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) drugs and services list for Persons with Albinism. 

They said there are over 2,571 registered persons with albinism in the country and many of them are economically marginalized and cannot afford sun care products. GAPA made the call as the world celebrates International Albinism Awareness Day.

International Albinism Awareness Day is celebrated on 13th June every year to raise awareness on albinism and the human rights of people with albinism.

Albinism is a congenital disorder which is seen in humans due to absolute or partial absence of pigment in the skin, eyes and hair. The theme of this year’s celebration is #StrengthBeyondAllOdds.

The reason for choosing this theme is to primarily highlight the good qualities of those with albinism across the globe.

This year the theme also aims to shed light on how people with albinism are made to defy all odds and exceed expectations in all domains of life. Most importantly, the theme of 2021 encourages people around the world to join hands in the global effort to #BuildBackBetter.

PRESS STATEMENT BY GHANA ASSOCIATION OF PERSONS WITH ALBINISM- GAPA ON THE COMMEMORATION OF INTERNATIONAL ALBINISM AWARENESS DAY JUNE 13, 2021.

Good morning family and friends from albinism community, our hardworking partners, distinguished ladies and gentlemen of the press….

Engage Now Africa, Ghana Association of Persons with Albinism – GAPA and Global Albinism Partners   today 13th June, 2021, commemorate the International Albinism Awareness Day on the theme, “Strength Beyond All Odds ".

The International Albinism Awareness Day is a global event adopted by the United Nations, with the aim to increasing international attention on the human rights situation of persons with albinism, and to recognize the importance of increasing awareness and understanding of albinism in order to fight against global discrimination and stigma against persons with albinism.

It is to encourage the Member States to continue their efforts to protect and preserve the rights to life and security of persons with albinism and to promote the right not to be subject to torture and ill-treatment of persons with albinism, and to celebrate the struggle, achievements and contributions of persons with albinism worldwide.

Ladies and gentlemen, as persons with albinism, we face multiples of discrimination and human rights abuses that are clearly interrelated beyond a reasonable doubt.

Our right to education as persons with albinism, for instance, is affected by our low vision that in most cases force some of us to drop out of school which eventually lead us to unemployment and affect our right to an adequate standard of living, consigning many of us to abject poverty.

The worst expression of discrimination against persons with albinism is dehumanization, which lays the foundation for physical attacks against us. Because some people believe that persons with albinism are magical beings or ghosts, they either mutilate our body or kill us for rituals.

These attacks have affected many persons with albinism and claimed many lives among persons with albinism, more especially in the east Africa countries, and made surviving victims and their families experience severe trauma.

There are no clear-cut policies and programmes seeking to ensure that persons with albinism have access to adequate health care, employment, education, justice and social protection in Ghana.

This year’s theme “Strength Beyond All Odds” is seeking to reflect on the resilience, perseverance and achievements of persons with albinism in the face of the pervasive misconceptions, discrimination and violence. 

Despite the obstacles to well-being and security of persons with albinism, individual persons with albinism and leaders of organizations representing persons with albinism continue to work hard to support the most vulnerable to achieve their dreams and ambitions.

The theme also highlights the achievements of people with albinism around the world, and tries to show that persons with albinism can defy all odds; in spite of the stigma, discrimination, persons with disabilities still stride to make it in education, employment and continue to advocate for inclusion.

The theme seeks to celebrate how persons with albinism worldwide meet and exceed expectations in all domains of life and encourage everyone during this time of a global pandemic to join the global effort to support the advocacy towards inclusive development.

Ladies and gentlemen of the press, as we commemorate this year’s International Albinism Awareness Day, Ghana Association of Persons with Albinism and Engage Now Africa brings to the attention of the Government the following key issues for urgent intervention:

× Health: Inclusion of sun care products, dermatological and optical services on the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) drugs and services list for Persons with Albinism.  There are over 2,571 registered persons with albinism in the country and many of them are economically marginalized and cannot afford sun care products.

× Education: Government needs to mainstream albinism and disability issues in all levels of the educational system.  Some textbooks should be printed in large font and persons with albinism allowed to sit closer to chalkboards in classrooms. Also, students with albinism should be allowed some extra time during examinations and also put measures in place to and allocate enough resources to effectively implement the inclusive education policy. This will create an opportunity for persons with disabilities to have better education.

× Data: Support the Ghana Association of Persons with Albinism and Engage Now Africa to get a reliable and accurate database of all persons with albinism in the country. This is expected to ensure timely dissemination of information and continuous provision of support services to all persons with albinism.

× Policies: Ratify the African Disability Protocol which seeks to promote and protect the rights of persons with disabilities.

× We again call on the ministry of gender children and social protection in with NCPD to fully domesticate and full implementation of the regional action plan on albinism in Africa which was adopted by the AU for the enjoyment of the rights of persons with albinism.

× We finally call on the ministry of chieftaincy and culture to call for inter-ministerial dialogue with relevant institutions and national house of chiefs to end cultural banishment of persons with albinism in most communities in Ghana.

 Ladies and gentlemen, Given the very optimistic theme for the current year, which envisions a newly hopeful outlook as countries continue to improve the security of persons with albinism and try to ensure their freedom, full access to society, with Civil Society Organisations as well as donors and development partner and individuals to support investing resource into advocacy towards achieving an inclusive and secured society for all persons with albinism,  we are confident that government will come to our aid on the above matters.

 

Thanks for your attention.

Signed

Newton KwamlaKatseku